Fourth Sunday of Easter - Year A
May 7, 2017
Gospel: Jn 10:1-10
Jesus said: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever
does not enter a sheepfold
(1) through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a
robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The
gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd
calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his
own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize
his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because
they do not recognize the voice of strangers." Although Jesus used this
figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell
them.
So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you, I
am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but
the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will
be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to
steal and slaughter
(2) and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it
more abundantly
(3)."
http://www.usccb.org
The difficult words
(1)A sheepfold is a pen or fenced-in area for animals.
(2)To slaughter
means to kill animals for meat.
(3)Abundantly
means with plenty to spare.
This week’s spotlight
The Acts of the Apostles
During the Easter season, the first reading from the
Old Testament is replaced with a text taken from the Acts of the Apostles. This
book recounts the lives of the Apostles, who were among the first witness of
the Resurrection of the Lord. Groups of believers formed around the Apostles.
These were the first Christians and the beginning of the Church.
The Blessing and the Dismissal
The last part of the Mass, the Concluding Rites,
includes a Solemn Blessing and the Dismissal. The Dismissal is actually a
"sending forth." Having been nourished by the Word and the Eucharist,
we are sent forth to shine in the world with the light of Christ. When the
people respond, "Thanks be to God," it does not mean "Thank God,
Mass is over!" It means that we are grateful to God for his presence in
our hearts and grateful to be sent forth as his witnesses.
Reflection
Life in abundance
A parable is a story or comparison that helps explain
something difficult to understand. In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells a parable
about sheep, a shepherd, and a gate. What does he want to explain? He is
explaining that he is the one who brings us to the Father. No other religion
can save us. We must go through him; he is the gate. He is the shepherd and we
must follow him. We know his voice in our hearts. Where is he taking us? Toward
better pastures - that is, toward the life of grace that comes from God. This
is the true life that never ends, life in abundance. It is your turn now to
discover throughout the week and throughout your life that Jesus is taking you
toward a life full of wonderful things. Let’s get on our way!
Discussion questions
1.What does Jesus say about being like a good shepherd?
2.What happens when he calls his sheep by name?
3.What does Jesus tell the people about how he will lead them?
After
receiving Holy Communion,
you can say this prayer silently to yourself. If you
have not yet
received your First Communion, you can still say this prayer because of your desire to
receive Jesus.
Father, through Jesus, in
communion with the whole Church, I thank you for coming into my heart. Thank
you for sending Jesus to save us from evil and death, and to open the way for
us to the fullness of life. May I always hear and follow the voice of the Good
Shepherd. May my joy help others to find the way to a more abundant life.
This week…
Receive
life to the fullest
Easter is the feast of new life,
a life of fullness and joy. This week, pay attention to the life you receive
from the Lord. Each day, try to remember something important that helped you to
live life more abundantly. Notice, for example, the ways your parents love you,
the ways your friends make you laugh, or the ways your coaches and teachers
give you encouragement.
Share the fullness of
life
You can share the life God gives by offering others
the gift of your friendship. Love always makes life more abundant. See how many
ways you can come up with to share the fullness of life.
Maze Puzzle
Source: usccb.org
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